Point of View

This novel is told from the first person point of view of 12-year-old Mila. She is both the main character and the narrator for the story. Since it is a coming of age story in which Mila learns some hard realities about the adult world, it is fitting that the novel should be told from her vantage point. Although an omniscient narrator might have worked in the story, the first person point of view makes the reader feel much closer and much more in touch with Mila as she learns that parents do lie to their children and that sometimes adults make such messes of their lives that they want to run away from it all, even the good parts.

Language and Meaning

This novel is not only a coming of age story but also makes a variety of points about language and communication. While...